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Paris, La Ville Lumière

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he Palais Garnier is a 1,979-seat opera house, built between 1861 and 1875 for the Paris Opera. Located on the Boulevard des Capucines, the structure was originally called Salle des Capucines, but became known as the Palais Garnier, in recognition of its opulence and its architect, Charles Garnier. The theatre was the primary home of the Paris Opera and its associated Paris Opera Ballet until 1989, when the Opéra Bastille opened at the Place de la Bastille. The Paris Opera now mainly uses the Palais Garnier for ballet.

Les Champs-Élysées

Tour stop audio transcript

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a boulevard in the 8th arrondissement of Paris that runs between the Place de la Concorde and the Place Charles de Gaulle. It is known for its theatres, cafés, and luxury shops, and for the military parade that takes place each year on the avenue on July 14 to celebrate Bastille Day. The name is French for the Elysian Fields, the paradise for dead heroes in Greek mythology.

Notre-Dame de Paris

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Also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Paris is an historic Catholic cathedral and among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. One of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in existence, the cathedral contains the official chair of the archbishop of Paris, and is home to some of Catholicism's most revered relicts, including the purported Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the True Cross, and one of the Holy Nails. The Louvre Museum Notre Dame de Paris Sainte-Chapelle Eiffel Tower Trocadéro Palais Garnier - Opera Arc de Triomphe Luxembourg Gardens Pont Alexandre III Latin Quarter Sacré-Cœur Basilica Champs-Élysées The City of paris: Overview Share

Arc de Triomphe

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The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, historically known as the Place de l'Étoile. The arch honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all the French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Jardin du Luxembourg

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The Jardin du Luxembourg, or the Luxembourg Garden, was created in 1612 as part of a the Luxenbourg Palace, a new residence for Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV. Today, the garden is owned by the French Senate, which meets in the Palace. The garden covers 23 hectares and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, flowerbeds, the model sailboats on its circular basin, and for the picturesque Medici Fountain.